From  the Desk of Melonie S. Jordan

Dear TMBA Community, 

As we step into a new year and a new chapter for the Thurgood Marshall Bar Association, I am deeply honored to serve as your President. TMBA stands as a pillar of leadership, advocacy, and community — a space where Black lawyers, law students, and legal professionals find support, opportunity, and a shared purpose. Our work is for us, by us, and for the generations we uplift. This year, we embrace a bold vision — Resilience Redefined: Compassion. Justice. Grace. Service. —  as strategic imperatives for action shaped by our past, grounded in our present, and fiercely committed to our future.

Honoring the Leadership That Paved the Way

Before looking ahead, it is essential to acknowledge the collective effort that brought us to this point. Our immediate past president, Moriah Denton, exhibited consistent dedication to TMBA's mission. Her tenacity in the face of numerous challenges advanced our mission and made this moment possible. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Moriah, our 2025 Board of Officers and Directors, and to all who have served TMBA and Orange County with integrity, courage, and unwavering commitment.

Reflecting on Our Shared Accomplishments

As President-Elect and a Board member for five years, I have had the immense privilege of collaborating with our Board and committees to initiate key strategic priorities that will continue into 2026. These include:

• Launching initiatives to meaningfully elevate the next generation of leaders, including continuing the Summer Associate Program formed by me and former President Rebekah Thomas, and identifying pathways for law students to gain professional experience.

• Creating programs focused on lawyer and legal professional wellbeing and raising mental health awareness. 

• Strengthening TMBA's proximity to the community we serve, such as hosting our annual Holiday Party and Toy Drive, an event I formed in partnership with our Program Committee. 

• Advancing our commitment to equity by deepening relationships with the judiciary, legal educators, and community stakeholders to expand opportunities for our members across all stages of their careers.

These efforts reflect our belief that if we elevate our health, we elevate our lives; if we elevate our lives, we elevate our impact; and if we elevate our impact, we elevate our community.

Looking Ahead: the 2026 Vision

In 2026, TMBA will continue to be a force for positive change — grounded in principled leadership and unwavering resolve. So many of us have lived dual realities long known by our ancestors — navigating spaces where assumptions are made about us, where ceilings are lowered above us, and where opportunities are rationed to us. Yet I also know the transformative (and often exhausting) power of being in the room — of being the counterweight, the advocate, the anchor, the possibility.

This duality forms the foundation for TMBA's 2026 Vision of Resilience Redefined: Compassion. Justice. Grace. Service. Under this Vision, TMBA will:

• Execute programming that touches our community with compassion through mental and emotional wellness initiatives.
• Create spaces where our community is celebrated and supported, with events focused on restorative joy. 
• Educate our members and our community through timely CLE programming, town halls, and a revamped Racial Justice Series.
• Offer leadership training, visibility opportunities, and skills-building by establishing the Thurgood Marshall Bar Institute. 

A Call to Engage and Elevate Together

I invite every member — from seasoned practitioners to aspiring law students — to join this momentum, share your ideas, and contribute your energy. The mission of TMBA is bigger than any one of us; our collective impact is what strengthens our community and advances justice. The 2026 Vision is built on resilience, refined by grace, and fueled by a belief that when Black lawyers rise, our entire community rises with us.

With strength and service,

Melonie S. Jordan
President, Thurgood Marshall Bar Association